Despite unusual public protest, car showroom involved insist car was listed in a buyer beware category when it was bought. — SCMP
HONG KONG: A car owner in China was so shocked to find that a second-hand Tesla Model 3 – which he bought for 101,000 yuan (RM61,823/US$14,000) – would not charge, he staged a protest by towing it down the street pulled by an ox.Many netizens were left stunned by the response of the unidentified man from Weifang in Shandong province, eastern China, who recently bought the white Tesla Model 3 Performance through the well-known second-hand car platform, Guazi.
According to Tesla’s official website in China, the current price of the same model in China starts at 335,900 yuan (RM205,608 or US$47,000).
However, after driving it, he discovered that the car displayed a warning indicating that it could not be charged, leading him to suspect a battery malfunction.
It is unclear how the car was delivered and whether the owner tested it before completing the purchase.
After failing to reach a solution with Guazi and Tesla, the frustrated car owner resorted to attaching the Tesla to an ox and parading it through the streets in protest, in the hope of drawing public attention to his plight and seek justice.
A trending online video shows the ox slowly pulling the Tesla down the street, with its body spray-painted with the words “Deceived by Guazi” and “fraud”.
The move quickly drew attention from passers-by who slowed down to see what was happening and even filmed the scene.
The man later parked the car in front of a Guazi second-hand car showroom.
A member of staff at customer service for Guazi told ifeng.com that all vehicles are inspected before being listed on the platform, noting that the customer had bought the car through Chesupai, Guazi’s C2B service designed for professional dealers.
“This service primarily caters to second-hand car dealers who purchase vehicles at lower prices to resell for profit.
“The Tesla was part of a dealer-focused promotion, thus the buyer was responsible for assessing the vehicle’s condition and bearing the associated risks,” the staff member said.
On Oct 23, Guazi also released an official statement, in which it said that the seller was not a typical consumer but a professional car dealer who had completed more than 30 transactions on the platform.
According to the professional inspection report, the car’s mileage was noted at over 280,000km, and it had a history of significant damage.
The vehicle was rated as a D-grade, signalling it should be bought with caution.
The unhappy buyer also sprayed the car with slogans saying he was the victim of a fraud. Photo: Weibo
Another Guazi employee told K618.cn that although the Tesla’s battery life had significantly deteriorated, battery performance was not included in the platform’s presale checks.
Nevertheless, the company has processed a return and issued a refund to the customer.
The incident prompted a wave of humorous comments from netizens.
One person wrote: “This poor old ox, has anyone thought about its feelings?”
“This is so bizarre. A car that cannot be charged is basically scrap, and you’re selling it for 101,000 yuan?” said another.
A third online observer asked: “If I have to assess everything myself and take on all the risks, what’s the point of your platform? Just to take my money?” – South China Morning Post
